[unreadable] [unreadable] Lymphatic biology has recently experienced a dramatic growth. Enhanced techniques and new tools have facilitated a fresh approach to the study of lymphatics that has lead in short order to a greatly improved understanding of basic aspects of lymphatic physiology and pathophysiology. This application is designed to request support for the Second Gordon Research Conference to be held in Diablerets, Switzerland September 3-8, 2006. Dr. Kari Alitalo from the University of Helsinki, Finland, will serve as the chairman of this conference, Dr. Geert W. Schmid-Schonbein from the University of California, San Diego, is the vicechair. The conference facilitates scientific exchange between active lymphatic biologists, physiologists, biomedical engineers and physicians and provides a forum in which a broad dialogue surrounding scientific developments in this field will be discussed and new directions of future investigative efforts will be determined. Specific areas of investigation to be discussed are genetics of lymph diseases and lymphatic vs vascular development, biochemistry, biophysics and bioengineering of lymphatic function, immunology of lymph cells, cellular and molecular biology approaches to lymphatic studies, physiology and pharmacology, anatomy in areas such as vasculogenesis and lymphogenesis, lymphatic developmental biology, tissue engineering of lymphatic networks, cytoskeletal structure of lymphatic endothelium, interstitial and membrane signaling mechanisms as well as lymphatic pathology, inflammation and tumor biology. A roster of world leaders have agreed to participate in the conference to be arranged in the format of a Gordon Conference that is optimized for scientific exchange at the level of the most advanced understanding in the field. The conference plays an essential role in the advancement of lymphology and development of a new understanding of lymphatic diseases and treatments. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]